RIS report - January 2014
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Transcript of RIS report - January 2014
Presenting the new RIS logoSpotlight on: Google Glass
Wolf Club 31 part III continuedElementary ICT and learning update
Rome International School
A world of opportunities
RIS report Issue 27, January 2014 - www.romeinternationalschool.it
few weeks ago, after a phase of presenting the results of the rebrand, which was exclusively
d e v e l o p e d i n t e r n a l l y , w e announced that the new Rome International School logo would be in use from the start of January 2014.
It‘s a fresh, new starting point that encapsulates what has changed over the years, both in essence and in perception, expressing an i d e n t i t y t h a t i s a b l e t o c o m m u n i c a t e n o t o n l y t h e direction but also the strength of what has been achieved and of what we offer.
Communication is fundamentally expressed through words and pictures. The graphics of our new logo - from the column to the c a p i t a l c u l m i n a t i n g i n t h e “F ibonacci sp i ra l” , f rom the highlighting of the acronym to the colours, to the choice of font, as well as the overall balance of the different elements – do not only function to evoke a family-like feeling, but have a precise reason to be.
Through modernity, recognisability and the unique feel that i s immediately associated with this new logo , we want to reiterate the educational ethos of Rome International School, which places knowledge and scientific learning on a foundations of ‘umanistica’ culture , of which literature, art and the humanit ies are essent ial elements.
If the distinctive elements are, generally speaking, important, for a school they cannot just be a marketing tool, but they must be able to re late pro jects and expectations, vision and paths, as w e l l a s s o f t f a c t o r s a n d infrastructures. This new logo is suitable especially now, during an important time of change, where we see current members of the school bring their own ‘exper iences’ and new members join our community. From this point of view, the opening of enrolments for the next school year, which will commence in Via P. Giraldi, represents the ideal time to introduce the new logo through a d v e r t i s i n g a n d m a r k e t i n g campaigns , cu r rent l y be ing launched.
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I n t roduc ing the new R IS l ogo !
Slightly less than a year ago, through pages of our magazine, we announced that we were working on our school rebranding, a process
involving the whole RIS community: students, parents and staff.
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BY IVANO BORAGINEHEAD OF SCHOOL & MANAGING DIRECTOR
hange is inevitable, for organisations as much as for individuals. Change can sometimes feel threatening, however the
process of change always brings new possibilities and opportunities. It is no surprise that the word ‘change’ can be unsettling however. For example, checking on any search engine using the key word ‘change’, the top results will always contain the phrase ‘climate change’. 2013 was a year that saw extreme weather events, from melting polar ice to tropical cyclones. We are all witnesses to such changes as these. What we need to ask is how can we respond? Our greatest resource is the next genera t i on – the s c i en t i s t s , eng inee rs , philosophers, politicians, activists, artists...people who can bring new skills and thinking to the challenges of the next few years. An awareness of the concept of ‘change’, even in this extreme example, and being prepared for it, is clearly central. Students, given the possibility to think creatively, collaboratively and positively may just be able to meet such challenges and find the right solutions. Perhaps for this reason ‘change management’ is a growing area of education in itself, as universities, employers and governments recognise the need to have specialists who are
trained to effectively manage important alterations to our working and living environments. The world today is changing perhaps more rapidly than ever before and so these skills and aptitudes are more crucial than ever. Change requires action plans, clear strategies and specific goals but of course also human cooperation. As one university department puts it, ‘...making change happen will depend on people...This means paying close attention to all those involved with or affected by the change, as people’s willingness to embrace change will have a very large influence...’* The key phrase here perhaps is ‘willingness to embrace change’ which suggests an active ‘readiness’, not simply coping or ‘managing’. If this ‘readiness’ is central, then part of the learning process, for all of us, should be to anticipate change and the opportunities that it inevitably brings. Yes, there are always difficulties and challenges in any period of significant development, but ultimately it is about learning from the past...and then looking forward with a real desire to meet and grasp the new opportunities that will lie ahead.
*h$p://www.bris.ac.uk/hr/changemanagement
Ready for change
BY WILLIAM IRELANDMIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
DEPUTY HEAD
C
Mr Young, Grade 3 teacher and iPad Coordinator, introduced the Transition P class to using iPads for learning this week. The children enjoyed using the different apps for literacy and maths
games and the class also read interactive stories together.
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ICT and Learning
BY LUCY PENNTRANSITION
ne of America’s biggest technology giants, Google, decided to transfer its “Nexus” phone hardware components
into a wearable device that can be placed just like a pair of glasses on the nose. It uses a tiny piece of
glass next to your right eye, sliced diagonally in order to properly display the image in front of your vision, with a RGB projector inside it that will show you the user interface.With a weight of just 36 grams, it gives you an
equivalent of a 25 inch high definition screen from eight feet away, a 5MP camera that can record photos and videos up to 720p of resolution, both wifi and bluetooth connectivity plus a one-‐day-‐life battery. The Google Glass implements some of the
latest experimental technologies for making our life more simple and organised. Apart from the traditional headphone jack which every audio player has -‐ like an iPod or computer -‐ Glass uses a special apparatus called a “Bone Conduction
Transducer” that exploits sensitivity to vibrations and enables us to hear music or words by reproducing specific frequencies of vibrations that our brain interprets as sounds. Some of the most simple gestures you may use to interact with the
device include voice commands activated by the key words “ok glass", swiping your finger on the side trackpad or even blinking your eye to take a photo.Currently there are no other similar products from
competitors that are in production, at least not officially announced and publicly showcased. Rumors around the internet suggest that Samsung, Microsoft and possibly also Apple may be working on some alternatives, but the news is
not as popular as the Google Glass ads and articles. Check out this website (http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/google-‐glass-‐alternatives/) where you can find a complete and updated list of new devices that have similar
functions as Glass.At the moment the only version that is available is the “Explorer Edition”, limited “only” to about 10,000 people between the #ifihadaglass contest
winners and developers for big companies in order to give initial feedback on the functioning and quality of the product. The initial price of this prototype is $1,500, but it is predicted that it will reach something around $300-‐$400 when it starts
selling as a consumer version. Since it is quite a pricey product, it is good to know some of its drawbacks. Even though the battery life is expected to last for about one day, users have reported that the “recording” feature drains all
the battery as quickly as after 90 minutes of constant use. In noisy environments it is very difficult to hear the audio through the bone conductor (Google has already worked around this by giving the possibility to use normal
headphones). Last but not least, Glass may also give some privacy concerns with other people that may be close to you when the device is operating.
The targeted audience for its purchase are mainly professionals such as reporters, athletes and business people. With premium apps like “Strava” and “GolfSight” you can easily track your rides, v isual ize your progress, display scoring
information and many other types of useful information. All handsfree! It may also extend to aspiring photographers (to catch unique moments instantly) and technology lovers. If I had one, I would mainly use it as a daily virtual
assistant that would help me read emails, remind me what tasks I have in my calendar, take some photos and use the utilities of Google Maps to move across the city and Google real-‐time translator service if I needed to read or say
something in another language.
As for the use of Google Glass in the educational sector, this article (http://foradian.com/post/49920105096/googleglass) shows some very interesting potential features that everyone, students and teachers, may use to simplify their
work. Imagine if you could visualize your timetable with the next class you have while exiting the last one; record lectures in real-‐time or list your homework in a nicer and more pleasant way. Obviously it will be a little complicated for the
school to allow the use of these devices in class but since we have already implemented iPads and laptops perhaps the Glass will also be happily introduced!Moreover, according to an article published on the
Mashable website by Stan Schroeder, it could be possible to integrate this type of technology with current ones, improving the efficiency of certain operations. I strongly suggest that you take a look at this video (http://mashable.com/2013/10/03/
philips-‐google-‐glass/) that shows how healthcare would be (positively) affected and how it makes most of the things that happen during a surgical operation easier to keep under control.For more information and videos visit:
s http://www.google.com/glass.
Cited sources:-‐ Google Glass catchphrase (h$p://adver?singgoogleglass.blogspot.it/2012/06/google-‐glasses.html)-‐ Glass Tech specs (h$ps://support.google.com/glass/answer/3064128?hl=en&ref_topic=3063354)-‐ Google Glass in school (h$p://foradian.com/post/49920105096/googleglass)-‐ Google Glass alterna?ves (h$p://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/google-‐glass-‐alterna?ves/)-‐ Pros and Cons (h$p://www.pressherald.com/business/through-‐the_2013-‐09-‐01.html?pagenum=full)
BY CARLO ALBERTO CAMPOLOGRADE 12
Have you ever wanted to experience what your eyesight could be with a kind of virtual interface attached to it? Like a mashup of reality and a digital world that you can command with your voice or with the blink of an eye.
Well, this type of technology is already here and is currently under development for sale in early 2014.
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Google Glass
O
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n past times, societies of various countries had little in common and were not well connected. Travel was difficult. We are fortunate to live in times of advanced
forms of communication and transport which have led societies around the world to become more and more homogeneous. A global society. An international school is the ideal laboratory in which to learn the multiple perspectives required by a global society. Interpersonal and intercultural communication skills are necessary tools for today and increasingly, for the future.
For our youngest students, communication skills start with respect, speaking and listening. They are taught to take turns to be speakers or listeners, however, active listening seems to be a difficult concept to master throughout the Elementary School and perhaps reflects a similar trend in the wider community. Listening leads to understanding but
In our determination to have our say, it is all too easy to fall into the trap of talking over each other and not listening.
This year we will promote active listening, in order to deepen understanding of a situation or point of view of others; to learn how to disagree in a productive manner and how to make decisions together; to formulate questions when we don’t understand and to make clarifications to aid understanding.
Communities are built through dialogue. Focusing on the way we talk and listen to each other, I believe, would lead to a stronger, more resilient community, better able to adopt a truly global perspective and to tackle the challenges and leverage the opportunities facing our school and our planet.
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BY PATRICIA MARTINSMITHEARLY YEARS & ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL
Elementary Student Council
Communications skills for a global society:
Active listening
The Student Council is made up of representatives from Grades 3 to 6. Over the
next term the council will be helping with preparations related to Carnival celebrations; the visiting choir from St Johnʼs London; and
last but not least, the Talent Show which will be held in school on 15 April 2014.
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Anastasia’s feet sank into the ten centimetre deep slush as she trudged behind the company. They had been walking for about one hour when they finally reached the cave.Anastasia was off on a quest to retrieve a magical weapon from the depth of an abandoned mine for a society called “Wolf Club 31”. She was supposedly needed by the company for this expedition because of some qualities she possessed like curiosity but she herself knew nothing about the weapon which might cost her own life, or about its immense powers. They entered no ordinary mine, precious gems seemed to have popped up like ivy from the ground as they carpeted the surface. They almost blinded you with their colourful and vibrant radiance and no one seemed to be the same shade or transparency of another. Their aura was so bright they didn’t even need a torch to see. The cave was spacious and on the far side railway tracks led down towards a darker area. Jeremy and Jake, her companions looked just as awe-struck but when they recovered they pointed towards a battered cart near the railway. Anastasia didn’t like the prospect of a ride in those tattered carts and as she imagined herself on one, going straight towards a precipice she almost felt like telling her companions she’d just wait there but she wasn’t a coward, not to that point. Jake held his hand out to her to help her in and then added: “These mine carts have seen better days.” The ride was actually amusing. It started through a tunnel of rock, sustained by a wooden and metal structure, here and there expired oil lamps were hung and beneath the railway tracks they could only see cobalt-blue smoke, shifting continuously, the thought of falling was blood-chilling. Then they turned and the walls became emerald green, there were occasional cobwebs which shimmered in the gleam, it was fascinating, until she looked down, the ground was a huge, thickly woven web. Then even this sight was left
behind as the tunnel smoothened into bricked purple walls. Once they passed beside a waterfall of turquoise powder, which fell from a breach in the cave ceiling. It felt magical and Jeremy grinned, reaching out with his hand to feel it. When they reached a platform it wasn’t bursting with colours, it was quite humble, more subtle and majestic, on the walls, thin strands of gold created outlines of dragons, minotaurs, chimeras, giants, cyclops and satyrs. They were accurate and seemed to be narrating legends. There were also words inscribed here and there but still in an archaic tongue. A tunnel led the way north and hesitantly they went through, arriving in a chamber. On the walls were niches and in each one stood an imposing statue of a different magical race. The only thing they had in common was a ring around one finger. Every ring consisted of a different gem; some shimmered, some were opaque, others translucent, some even shifted shape. It was Jeremy who thought that they might have to fight the creature in order to win the ring, which was apparently the weapon, they just had to chose which one. They sure didn’t want to face a dragon or a cyclops but she would feel guilty in taking down a minute fairy or a satyr. There was one creature that intrigued her, a huge crab with the hind of an elephant and pinchers as sharp as blades. She had never heard of it but she still suggested it, out of pure curiosity. The others were reluctant to accept but they still went to its pedestal where they touched the scarlet ring. It all happened so quickly, the creature sprang forward, Jake slashed desperately at it in midair, Jeremy leapt to a side. The creature fought like a lion but while his blows where powerful he was clumsy and slow. Her companions were doing relatively well against it, they were quick, springing swiftly from place to place. Anastasia was petrified and she couldn’t get herself to unsheathe her sword. Then her chance appeared and she dove blindly towards the creature’s paw, arm outstretched, sword ready.
BY FLAVIA UNGARELLIGRADE 8
PART III
Wolf Club 31
The ‘Gems of Impressionism’ exhibition at the Museo Dell’Ara Pacis was a great opportunity to see a set of paintings that are on loan from the U.S. In fact, Rome is the only European city to host masterpieces of the Impressionist and Post Impressionist collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington.(1) This visit gave our students a good idea of how and what made art change around the end of the 19th century.
New technology of the time included paints being stored in tubes, the bristles of a brush held to the handle by a metal ferrule (instead of being bound by thread), and smaller portable easels making it possible for artists to work outside. Scientific discoveries in making synthetic colours gave artists a greater range of colours that were stable and didn’t oxidise and change over time. Research into colour led the pointillists to explore optical colour mixing (small dots of pure colour side by side seen from a distance appeared to mix to make a new colour). The use of brighter colour to represent the effects of light was one of the main concerns of the Impressionists. Art from the East – Japan and China -‐ was reaching Europe demonstrating new compositional ideas that coincided with the composition effect of cropping with the new art process of photography.
A student queried how the artists could understand what to paint and pointed out how the image was clearer when you stood back but when looked at close-‐up it appeared like a loose series of marks. Another student commented that if artists used to only paint in a studio instead of outdoors, it suggests that what was important in art previously was very different.
After lunch we visited the Santiago Calatrava exhibition. Calatrava is a famous Spanish architect who has had many projects in Italy. The exhibition gave students a valuable insight into the architect’s ‘creative process’. For example, how he sources and develops his ideas by looking at nature and in particular the human figure to understand structures and forces. His sculptures further enhance this process to experiment with form and weight in 3D before being transformed into architectural ideas. The students also marvelled at the kinetic sculptures and the precision of the architectural models.
1 http://en.arapacis.it/mostre_ed_eventi/mostre/gemme_dell_impressionismo
High School Art
BY JACQUELINE COPE ART COORDINATOR
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Art students from Grades 10 to 13 visited two very different exhibitions recently: The Germs of Impressionism hosted at the Museo Dell’Ara Pacis and a major Santiago Calatrava exhibition in Vatican City.
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RIS report is a monthly publication by Rome International School.
RegistrationRegistrazione n. 476 del 31/12/10
Direttore ResponsabileMaria Corbi
Editor-in-ChiefTania [email protected]
Graphic designTania Gobena
Rome International SchoolVia Panama 2500198, Rome +39 06 84482650/1 [email protected] www.romeinternationalschool.it facebook.com/romeinternationalschool
The Witches at War series by Mar,n Howard
This seriously funny series, full of dark humour and wonderful illustra?ons, should not be missed.Finally, the Wicked Witch is dead and there is great an?cipa?on in the witching world -‐ who will take over? Esmeila Sniff fancies her chances; aYer all she is exceedingly wicked and has warts in all of the right places. As she and her surprisingly cheerful appren?ce, Sam, set off to find three other witches to nominate her for the job, the meanest and the baddest witches in the world are hatching their own devious plan to become ‘The Wickedest Witch’. Follow Esmeila’s exploits in The Wickedest Witch, The White Wand and The Wild Winter available now from the Elementary School library.
Source: h$p://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/book/9781843651314/isbn , 15 January 2014
Elementary Library
Introducing a new trilogy...
Flora & Ulysses: the illuminated adventures by Kate DiCamillo
Walker Books, 2013
A major new novel from No. 1 New York Times Bestseller and Newbery Award Winner.Holy unan?cipated occurrences! A cynic meets an unlikely superhero in a genre-‐breaking new novel by master storyteller Kate DiCamillo. It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw it coming -‐ the vacuum cleaner, that is.
As for self-‐described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, she has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!, so she is just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight and misspelled poetry. And Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart.
Other new arrivals...
Ten Tales from Different Cultures
IBO, 2013
Ten Tales from Different Cultures helps students to appreciate the diversity of cultural tradi?ons around the world, providing rich subject ma$er for discussion in the classroom and at home. Beau?fully illustrated with a unique style for each story, 10 folktales from 10 diverse cultures around the world—Korean, Czech, Malaysian, Australian, American Indian, Swedish, Turkish, Bri?sh, African and Mexican – are represented.
RIS report